WASH

The concept of WASH groups together water, sanitation, and hygiene because the impact of deficiencies in each area overlap strongly, and so need to be addressed together in order to achieve a strong positive impact on public health. The UN’s Millennium Development Goals include improvement of WASH services in Target 7.C:

The protected spring is officially opened by SOFDI in the presence of an officer from the Ministry of Health. The officer then holds a comprehensive workshop about WASHfor the beneficiaries. This has been shown to have a positive impact as detrimental behavior has changed significantly.

"WATERBORNE DISEASES HAVE BOTH SHORT TERM AND LONG-LASTING EFFECTS, RANGING FROM SEVERE DEHYDRATION TO MALNUTRITION, WHICH IN TERM CAN WEAKEN ITS’ VICTIMS IMMUNE SYSTEM AND MAKE THEM MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FUTURE DIARRHEA EPISODES AS WELL AS OTHER ILLNESSES. CHILDREN WHO ARE MALNOURISHED ARE ALSO MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE CONSEQUENCES OF DIARRHEA. STUDIES INDICATE THAT DIARRHEA HAVE LONG-TERM PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS SUCH AS STUNTED GROWTH, AND REDUCED INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT."

(CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

"WATER SAFETY AND QUALITY ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND WELL-BEING. PROVIDING ACCESS TO SAFE WATER IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE INSTRUMENTS IN PROMOTING HEALTH AND REDUCING POVERTY."